1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a buccal tube which is used in orthodontic treatment or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As for dental appliances which are used in the oral cavity, there are known brackets (tie wings), wires for pulling the brackets and buccal tubes which are to be fixed to the molars while pulling the ends of the wires, which are used for correcting tooth alignment.
A buccal tube includes one or two tubes into which wires or inner wires of a facebow are inserted, and a fixing platform which is to be fitted to a ring-like fixing part which is to be fitted onto a molar, and these are formed of a metal material and formed into an integral body.
Since such buccal tubes are small and have a complex shape, they have been so far manufactured with the lost-wax method, and in that method stainless steel is used mainly as the metal material therefore.
However, stainless steel buccal tubes have less bio-compatibility, and in particular they have adverse effects to living bodies such as causing the onset of metal allergies and cancer as a result of the dissolution of Ni and Cr. Furthermore, the visual image or esthetics when the brackets are fitted are poor because of the surface metallic luster thereof.
Further, stainless steel buccal tubes which have been made using the lost-wax method are liable to have defects such as pinholes, and so there are problems in that they have low strength and ununiformity in their qualities, and the manufacturing yield is poor.